College Football Realignment: 5 Good Rivalries to Emerge from C-USA MWC Merger

Another week, another college football conference realignment rumor.

This time, the Mountain West and Conference USA have joined the mix, with reports that the two mid-majors have agreed to form a 22-team football league. 

Provided Boise State, Air Force, UCF, Houston and SMU stick around (instead of joining the Big East), here are five new rivalries we're looking forward to. 

Boise State vs. Houston

The top two teams from each conference make for the most intriguing matchup possible. 

For years, Boise State has been the darling of BCS Busters.

In Houston, coach Kevin Sumlin has the Cougars on their way to achieving similar status. 

This game would without a doubt be the most competitive and entertaining to result from the proposed merger. 

Boise State vs. UCF

The defending Conference USA champs have gotten off to a slow start in 2011, but head coach George O'Leary has consistently fielded a competitive team down in Orlando. 

There is no question that Boise State is the class of the Mountain West, but it's not as clear cut in Conference USA.

UCF has the ability to be just as good as Houston, making a yearly matchup with Boise very intriguing. 

Boise State vs. Tulsa

Are you noticing a theme here?

Boise State should dominate this conference, and it's going to be up to the best that Conference USA has to offer to stop them.

Tulsa too is in kind of a down year, but they have won C-USA's western division three of the past six seasons, and they always have a potent offense. 

Air Force vs. SMU

These two teams are on the rise.

Before back-to-back losses (including at Notre Dame), Troy Calhoun had the Falcons off to a 3-1 start, and he guided them to a bowl-win over Georgia Tech last season.

In Dallas, June Jones has last season's C-USA runner-up off to a 4-1 start, and fans are finally starting to forget about the Pony Express. 

East Carolina vs. San Diego State

These are two of the forgotten teams from each conference, but they are still solid programs.

ECU has struggled mightily this season, but they have appeared in two of the last three C-USA championship games, with a victory in 2009.

San Diego State was left for dead after Brady Hoke bolted for his dream job in Ann Arbor, but the Aztecs are off to a 4-2 start, and they are arguably the best team in the MWC that doesn't play on blue turf.